Roadkill

So frequently we drive or are driven from our homes to the places we go, be it work, school, the gym, or places of leisure. If you live on a rural or suburban road, the presence of roadkill is likely a part of this daily journey. For the urban person, the presence of wildlife is too absent for such occurrences yet this isn’t something they should be bragging about. The presence of roadkill is a grotesque reminder that wildlife thrives enough in the local environment to be mindlessly murdered.

What is worse? To see roadkill and take witness to one of modern society’s many overlooked atrocities or to not see roadkill at all while living in a land so absent of wildlife? In this binary selection I choose to take witness of the mutilated squirrels, racoons, turtles, skunks, and eagles. Every corpse I pass on these daily journeys send shivers down my spine and have made such an impact that I have memorized every poor critter I pass on the way to work. What makes me feel even worse is riding with friends who completely ignore the fact that there is roadkill, as if they were a stone or twig lying on the side of the road. They deserve at least an acknowledgment of their existence and unruly death.

Surely, I would love to see a road teeming with wildlife who feel safe to pass and travel where they please without fear of slaughter but this seems so far from possibility in our modern society. This is due to our reliance on the automobile for transport and our self centered individualistic perspective. Even more communal cultures like those of latin or asian countries fail to expand that sense of community outside of human persons, failing to solve the road kill crisis of our modern society. What is it that we can do?

The most obvious answer is to not drive. As much as I romanticize the idea of living a life without a car, the United States has made that lifestyle practically impossible for rural or suburban communities. Therefore, in the least, we can try to drive less. When we do drive, be mindful of wildlife. The studies I’ve read on the subject tend to suggest following speed limit postings and reducing speed limits in high kill zones are effective for reducing roadkill. Something interesting I’ve seen was bridges made for wildlife to pass roads safely, though it’s hard to imagine Floridian politicians even considering such environmentally friendly development. As cool as these bridges are, my greatest suggestion would be to make our communities more bikeable with greater public transportation options so that we can not only reduce roadkill but also improve our physical health, reduce fossil fuel consumption, and develop more social communities.

These suggestions are probably considered by many to be too much effort. This laziness is but a blatant reminder of our environmental carelessness. For those of us who have little say in our local politics because we are forced to spend our days struggling to satisfy work, family, and general wellness desires, I offer a more simple contribution that can be practiced to help reduce roadkill. This is to be mindful of its presence and pay some respects through a moment of silence for their lives. Then share this practice with your friends and family to participate in.

-Dr. Danny Alva